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Note to Self: There’s Gold in Them Thar Belly Fires

Day noun \ˈdā\ A period of twenty-four hours, mostly misspent. -Ambrose Bierce

Out of 24 hours in a day 7 are spent sleeping, leaving 17 hours. You go to your job for 8 hours plus a one hour commute each way, leaving 7 hours. An hour before work spent attacking the snooze button, showering, feeding your face and dressing takes it down to 6. 6 hours to feed your face again, spend time with the people you care about and make room for the things you love in life.

The only way I can see this being an acceptable model for happiness and fulfilment is if what you do for a living fires up your soul. Otherwise you only have 6 hours out of 24 that hold happiness value, leaving three quarters of your day to be filled with sleep and wasted time.

If your job doesn’t light a fire in your belly, try to find fulfilment in the by-products of your job: in the people, the lifestyles it affords you, in the outcomes you help create that change someone’s day for the better. If it still leaves you tired and hollow, then why the hell are you wasting 55 hours a working week doing something that destroys your spirit? That’s 2640 exquisite hours in a working year cast aside as though they were diseased.

Do what you love; with logic, determination and hard work and you’ll always succeed. Remember that success isn’t necessarily measured by money attained. Measure it by your own ruler: what gives you purpose, what brings you joy. Take that itchy, excited feeling that bubbles up when you think about your passion and put it to good use by turning a passion into a career. All that potential energy is being wasted in a job that leaves you unsatisfied. Your time is finite and convention can be a prison.

Take calculated risks. Take responsibility. Chase the dream. No one else will chase it like you chase it and no one will chase it for you. You’re the pilot of this flying machine; don’t waste all your time in the hanger.